Republic Day CelebrationsHooda details plethora of schemes
Reiterates giving free plots to poorRewari, January 27
Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda unfurled the National Flag and took the salute from the march past presented by the contingents of the Haryana police, home guards and NCC cadets at a state-level function held to mark the 59th Republic Day at Rao Tula Ram Stadium here yesterday.

Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda presents a cheque of Rs 21 lakh to cricketer Joginder Sharma during the Republic Day function at Rao Tula Ram Stadium in Rewari on Saturday.

Rewari doctor gets Padma Shri
Mirpur (Rewari), January 27
Senior orthopaedician Dr (Prof) SS Yadav and gynaecologist Dr Shanti Yadav’s child is eight years old, already worth Rs 35 crore and has treated over one lakh patients. Like any other parent, they dote on him, give him undivided attention and pander to his every need.

Villagers block road against power crisis
Kaithal, January 27
Hundreds of agitated villagers blocked the Kaithal-Assnadh road near Kichana village of this district today to protest against the power shortage.
The traffic on this road reportedly remained suspended for about three hours as the protesters laying siege to this road did not allow movement of vehicles.

HCS Exam Scam
HC challenges selection process, answer sheets evaluated
Chandigarh, January 27
Can the state government investigate the alleged irregularities in the Haryana Civil Service examination conducted by the State Public Service Commission during the Chautala regime on its own?
The selection has been challenged before the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Car plunges into canal
Two saved, two not so lucky
Karnal, January 27
Two persons died, while two floating in the canal with full current survived after a car plunged in canal at Pucca
Pul, located near Madhuban on the GT Road yesterday evening.

Volunteers help the police recover two persons and a vehicle that fell in the canal near Madhuban on Sunday afternoon.
— Tribune photo by Ravi Kumar

3 children die of mysterious disease
Jhajjar, January 27
At least three children had died of a mysterious disease in Dujana village of the district in last couple of days after which the health authorities have been camping in the village to prevent its spread.

Fear of lapse forces MP to exhaust funds
Fatehabad, January 27
Atma Singh Gill, MP from Sirsa parliamentary constituency, is on “announcements spree” these days in view of the possible lapse of a major portion of his MP Local Area Development funds due to poor
utilisation.

Chautala for change in capitalist system
Kurukshetra, January 27
Addressing the district-level ‘Backward Class Sammelan’ here on Friday evening, the Indian National Lok Dal
(INLD) supremo, Om Prakash Chautala, called upon the backward classes to maintain contact with people in order to change the system of capitalism prevailing in the country.

Polluting units to be penalised, says board chief
Ambala, January 27
The newly appointed chairman of the Haryana Pollution Control Board, Dr A.S. Chahal, has said the board will launch a special campaign against the industrial units that have been violating the pollution norms.

SCs protest against denial of quota
Fatehabad, January 27
Representatives of Scheduled Castes A category yesterday protested against the state government’s policies that kept them away from reservation at Ambedkar Chowk here.

‘Female foeticide not justified’
Kaithal, January 27
District and sessions Judge H. S. Bhangoo has said female foeticide could not be justified on any ground and if this tendency continued it would have serious repercussions on society. He was speaking as chief guest at a function organised by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) here last night. Many doctors, ADJ Subhash Goel and other judicial officers were also present on this occasion.

Kurukshetra to have cultural centre
Rewari, January 27
A state-level kavi sammelan was held under the joint auspices of the college management and the district administration at Kishan Lal College here on Friday.

16 cases settled in lok adalat
Kurukshetra, January 27
The legal authority of the district organised a Lok Adalat in Mathana village, 15 km from here.
It was inaugurated by Sarita Gupta, additional district and sessions judge,
Kurukshetra.

Woman poisons kids, self
Rewari, January 27
Lalita Yadav (32), wife of Umesh Yadav of Fatehpuri Daroli village, reportedly administered poison to her son Harsh (2) as well as her daughter Neha (4) after which she herself consumed poison at Shakti Nagar Colony here this morning.

A girl dressed as Mother India in the Republic Day function in
Karnal on Saturday. — A Tribune photograph

Rewari, January 27
Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda unfurled the National Flag and took the salute from the march past presented by the contingents of the Haryana police, home guards and NCC cadets at a state-level function held to mark the 59th Republic Day at Rao Tula Ram Stadium here yesterday.

The Chief Minister recalled the contributions made by Haryanavis in the freedom struggle, asserting that Haryana was proud of the sacrifices made by Rao Tula Ram of Rewari, Nawab Abdur Rehman Khan of Jahjjar, Raja Nahar Singh of Ballabhgarh and Nawab Ahmed Ali Khan of Farrukhnagar during the First War of Independence fought in 1857.

While acclaiming the sacrifices of the martyrs as well as the valuable services of the freedom fighters and other serving defence personnel, their pensions and other allowances had been hiked by the state government, he said, adding that cash awards to the winners of Paramvir Chakra, Mahavir Chakra and Vir Chakra had been increased to Rs 25 lakh, Rs 15 lakh and Rs 10 lakh, respectively. The cash awards for the holders of Ashok Chakra, Kirti Chakra and Shauriya Chakra had also been raised to Rs 25 lakh, Rs 15 lakh and Rs 10 lakh, respectively, he said.

He disclosed that the state government had launched an ambitious Rs 3,000 crore Rajiv Gandhi Bridges and Roads Infrastructure Development Programme for the construction of new roads and bridges and strengthening of the existing ones in the state.

Stating that the state government was observing 2008 as the year of education, he said a special package of Rs 280 crore was being implemented for the promotion of education of the students belong to the Scheduled Castes, who would be supplied books free of cost up to class XII.

Making mention of the Rewari region, the Chief Minister said while the building of the postgraduate regional centre was being constructed at Mirpur village at a cost of Rs 10 crore, the construction work of the Rs 19-crore polytechnic college at Lisana village was also in progress.

Hooda said the government would provide residential plots of 100 sq yd each free of cost to the homeless members of the SCs and BPL families and would also spend Rs 400 crore for providing basic amenities in all such colonies.

Hooda claimed that the state had now acquired the rare distinction of a leading state in the country in per capita income, per capita investment and efficient financial management. He also furnished details regarding government’s moves towards equitable distribution of canal water as well as generation of 5,000 MW of additional power by 2010.

On the occasion, the Chief Minister honoured cricketer Joginder Sharma, a member of the victorious cricket team of the Twenty-20 World Cup, with a cash award of Rs 21 lakh, noted hockey player Sardar Singh for his outstanding performance in Asia Cup with Rs 10 lakh and sportspersons like Vikas Rana, Kumari Subhita Dhaka (kabaddi) and Captain Dharamjot, a member of the Indian Army Mountaineering Expedition-2007, with cash award of Rs 1 lakh each. Besides freedom fighters, widows of freedom fighters, war widows and 12 other sportspersons were also honoured.

Hooda also announced an incentive of Rs 2 lakh for the schoolchildren who presented a cultural programme on the occasion.

He also unveiled a statue of martyr Kanwar Singh Yadav, who was killed during “Pawan Operation” in Sri Lanka on October 26, 1987, at Piranpura village, 15 km from here. He also announced a development grant of Rs 20 lakh for pavement of the village streets.

Hooda concluded his tour with the foundation stone laying ceremony of the Rajiv Gandhi shopping centre-cum-residential complex of the Haryana Housing Board at Dharuhera.

Yamunanagar: State agriculture minister H.S. Chatha unfurled the Tricolour at Tejli Sports Stadium here yesterday. Paying tributes to the martyrs, he said the sacrifices of the brave Indians during the course of the national movement for freedom had brought about the implementation of various rights and duties for all citizens of India.

Chatha said the state government was committed to make Haryana the number one state in the country in all fields.

Earlier, the minister inspected the march past of the police, home guards, NCC cadets, scouts and guides led by Het Ram, DSP, Jagadhri, and took the salute. Deputy commissioner Nitin Yadav, SP C.S. Rao, district and sessions judge Virender Singh were also present.

Sonepat: Town and country planning minister A.C. Chaudhary hoisted the National Flag and took salute at the march past here at police lines grounds. Speaking on the occasion, he said people should always remain motivated by the sacrifices of the martyrs and freedom fighters.

On the occasion, he honoured seven freedom fighters, Birmati widow of martyr Bijender, 14 sportspersons, 21 students of MNSS Rai, nine officers and four officials of various departments, two social workers and a doctor.

Kaithal: Revenue minister Savitri Jindal hoisted the National Flag and took salute from the contingents of police, home guards, NCC and scouts at Jat School ground here yesterday.

A cultural programme was presented by the students of various schools. As many as 40 sarpanches and officers were honoured for their contribution in the sanitation campaign. A number of police officers, other ranks and students were also honoured for their achievements in various fields.

S.S. Surjewala, local MLA, Tejinder Mann and Geeta Bhukkal, both MLAs, H.S. Bhangoo, district and sessions Judge, S.K. Goyal, deputy commissioner, and Anil Yadav, SSP, were among those present.

fatehabad: Chief parliamentary secretary Rao Dan Singh unfurled the National Flag at MM College here. Parade by the Haryana Police, NCC, scouts, guides and PT show and cultural activities by schoolchildren marked the function.

Rao Dan Singh claimed that all sections of the society had been benefited by the policies pursued by the state government. While farmers had been relieved of bank loans, free residential plots were being provided to the poor, he added.

He honoured several government employees and others for their exemplary deeds. Deputy commissioner O.P. Sheoran, SP Saurabh Singh, district and sessions judge Lachhman Sharma and ADC C.G. Rajnikanthan were present on this occasion.

Kurukshetra: After unfurling the National Flag at Dronacharya Stadium here, parliamentary secretary Paramveer Singh said the farmers whose land would be acquired by HUDA or the HSIDC would be paid Rs 15,000 per acre per annum for 33 years in addition to the compensation.

He said the government would spend Rs 400 crore on providing electricity and drinking water and constructing concrete lanes in the slum areas.

Mirpur (Rewari), January 27
Senior orthopaedician Dr (Prof) SS Yadav and gynaecologist Dr Shanti Yadav’s child is eight years old, already worth Rs 35 crore and has treated over one lakh patients. Like any other parent, they dote on him, give him undivided attention and pander to his every need.

So do the people of this tiny, dusty, off-the-beaten track village.

It is through this child that the doctor couple is poviding quality medical care at the doorstep of villagers. This is not the story of another genius being born but that of a dream realised against all odds.

It’s about unflinching service to humanity without any desire for returns and it’s about a symbol of hope for the many who can ill afford expensive treatment.

The doctor couple’s child, Ram-Bhagwan Rural Charitable Cancer Institute, has put their ancestral village on the national map for “quality care”. “This hospital is our only child. All our time and money goes into upgrading the hospital. I only had an ancestral plot of six acres at my disposal when I dreamt of building this hospital. The money to build it poured in from all quarters,” Dr Yadav, former director of the PGIMS, Rohtak, and senior consultant with Delhi hospitals, says. He was awarded Padma Shri recently in the field of medicine.

Post-retirement, he decided to give concrete shape to his dream and thus began his struggle even as his wife, who retired as the head of the gynaecology department, Safdarjung Hospital, joined him.

“Besides ‘begging’ for money, we had a hard time searching for staff and doctors because nobody wanted to go to a village. Then, ours was charitable work but they wanted their full salaries. So, I ended up becoming an ‘international beggar’,” he emphasises.

The project took wing in 1999 and there’s been no looking back. Offering cancer treatment at nearly one-third the cost of private hospitals, Dr Yadav says that most of his patients are given free treatment because they do not have the finances to fund it.

Maintaining that every brick in his hospital has come from voluntary donations, the couple believes that people are willing to donate liberally for a genuine cause. “Everybody who came forward to help me did so because he believed that every penny would be put to good use.

We have started a state-of-art ICU besides the orthopaedic and gynaecology departments and a nursing institute. We also have the best doctors from Delhi on our panel. We have a well-eqipped diagnostic block, a dental table and other facilities,” he remarks.

The Yadavs’ labour of love stands as an oasis in the desert and these proud parents have reason to walk tall.

Kaithal, January 27
Hundreds of agitated villagers blocked the Kaithal-Assnadh road near Kichana village of this district today to protest against the power shortage.

The traffic on this road reportedly remained suspended for about three hours as the protesters laying siege to this road did not allow movement of vehicles. As a result, a large number of vehicles remained strained on both sides of the road. The protesters sat on dharna on the road and raised slogans against the government accusing it of mismanagement on the power front.

SDM Jagdish Sharma, HVPN XEN S. K. Bansal and Jagat Singh, in charge district CIA, rushed to the spot and assured the villagers to improve power supply.

On the other hand, the villagers alleged that officers had been giving assurance to improve power supply, but the situation did not improve. They also alleged that chief minister had assured that power situation would improve after November 1 following the power generation by Yamunanagar power plant. But even by January end power crisis continued.

They alleged that government had been befooling the people on power front. Many others alleged that power from Haryana’s share was being supplied to Delhi, which had resulted into power crisis in this state.

They also said the power situation was much better during the Chautala regime, but now routine long power cuts had adversely affected the day-to-day life and power was neither available for tubewells nor for domestic use.

After expressing their resentment, the protesters withdrew from dharna site following which the normal traffic could be restored on this route.

Meanwhile, long unscheduled power cuts in Kaithal town and adjoining areas have put the normal life out of gear. The power was available for few hours in the urban areas, which had adversely affected the trade and commerce and the industrial activity.

The domestic consumers had been complaining of irregular supply of power for the past couple of months. The situation was so bad that inverters installed by consumers to get relief during cuts have failed to recharge.

The power situation in rural areas was even worse. Strong resentment has been brewing against the government due to worsening power situation.

Chandigarh, January 27
Can the state government investigate the alleged irregularities in the Haryana Civil Service examination conducted by the State Public Service Commission during the Chautala regime on its own?

The selection has been challenged before the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Yes, says former Advocate-General of Haryana Mohan Jain, who is also representing petitioner Karan Dalal, firebrand MLA from Palwal. Dalal has been engaged in a campaign to highlight various alleged misdeeds of the Chautala regime for the past eight years.

During a sample survey of the answer sheets of certain candidates who appeared in the examination, prima facie irregularities were detected in the manner in which the answer sheets were evaluated.

Jain says it has been held by the Supreme Court in a similar case that “It is expected that a state government… shall leave no stone unturned to bring the guilty to book. It is the duty of the state to unearth the scam and spare no officer, how high he may be. We expect the state to make a thorough investigation into the matter.”

The former Advocate-General says in light of the observations by the apex court, it is the bounden duty of the state government to launch investigations into the scam at the first opportunity. While the court, he says, will come to its own conclusions as regard with the selection, the government agencies should do their duty to bring those to the book, who lowered the credibility and prestige of a Constitutional authority like the Public Service Commission.

Meanwhile, it is learnt that the then powers that be cheated out a Dalit candidate from making it to the HCS due to their mechanisations. The candidate, though a Dalit, would have made to the prestigious service even against a general category seat, so impressive was his performance in the written examination. But the commission did not award him marks in the interview in accordance with what he had scored in his written examination.

An SC Block B candidate, Shalender Singh Birla, having an impressive educational record, scored 565 marks in the written examination, which were much higher than 536 scored by the candidate who topped the list of successful candidates. However, Birla was given only 17 out of 100 marks in the interview.

Another SC Block B candidate, Ranjit Singh Kaur, who scored only 493 marks in the written examination, was given 90 marks in the interview, making it a total of 583 marks. This was apparently done to select her against the only one post which was reserved for this category.

Birla was pushed to the much junior post of assistant excise and taxation officer (AETO), which he did not join as a protest against the unfair selection.

If Birla had been given his due in the interview, two Dalit candidates would have made it to the HCS. But then it would have meant one post less to accommodate a favourite.

Karnal, January 27
Two persons died, while two floating in the canal with full current survived after a car plunged in canal at Pucca Pul, located near Madhuban on the GT Road yesterday evening.

Narinder, the missing driver of the ill-fated vehicle reportedly lost his control over the vehicle and rammed into the railing before plunging into the canal.

Puran Singh’s body and the car were recovered after 18 hours this afternoon.

Bunty and Raghbir, the residents of New Delhi and Sonepat district, respectively, were lucky enough to survive as they were noticed floating in the freezing waters immediately after the accident by the nearby villagers.

Veermati, who also somehow came out of the sinking car, succumbed to injuries caused by the accident and the freezing water.

The three were immediately rushed to Arpana charitable hospital.

According to family sources, the accident victims, who were related to each other, had gone to attend a marriage at Karnal from Sonepat.

Though the family members and relative of the victims alleged that none of the senior district functionary had reached on the spot to asses the situation, Karnal deputy commissioner B. S. Malik claimed that at least five policemen from the Haryana police academy, Madhuban, were called in for the “recovery operation”.

Jhajjar, January 27
At least three children had died of a mysterious disease in Dujana village of the district in last couple of days after which the health authorities have been camping in the village to prevent its spread. Two children suffering from the disease has been referred to PGIMS at Rohtak, where their condition is said to be stable.

Sources said Jyoti (16), daughter of Naresh, Aman (8), son of Bijender, and six-month-old Mannu, son of Jitender, had died in the last three days. A team of doctors from PGI Rohtak led by its director S. S. Sangwan and a rapid response team of four specialists from Chandigarh have rushed to the village after the local health authorities alerted the senior officials.

Chief medical officer Dr O. P. Hooda said the sarpanch of the village had informed him about the disease after which the team of doctors visited the village and carried out the medical check ups of the children. He told that the deceased children had died within 24 hours of catching the disease. The initial reports have ruled out chickenpox or any other normal fever because it did not cause instant death.

He said the medical teams were still camping in the village and tests of children were being carried out. The villagers had been advised not to give the children eatables like toffees etc as eating of some expired stuff could be the cause. He said all possible preventive measures were being taken up to prevent spread of the disease.

Fatehabad, January 27
Atma Singh Gill, MP from Sirsa parliamentary constituency, is on “announcements spree” these days in view of the possible lapse of a major portion of his MP Local Area Development (MPLAD) funds due to poor utilisation.

The MP has announced schemes worth Rs 87 lakh in this district in a single day. These exclude schemes cleared in Sirsa district as Gill’s constituency comprises both districts.

The Tribune had first reported in these columns on December 10, 2007 that owing to the poor utilisation of funds by Gill, his MPLAD fund for 2006-07 and 2007-08 amounting to Rs 4 crore had been frozen.

A first time MP, Gill had not been liberal in making announcements and in some cases where he had made announcements he was not prompt to clear estimates.

It was only after The Tribune highlighted the issue, the MP completely utilised his quota of funds for 2005-06, while he has also been liberally announcing grants from the funds for 2006-07.

The grants for the current year are still frozen, but the MP will be entitled to get it once he completes his quota for 2006-07. Gill’s quota of MPLAD fund for 2008-09 will also become available at his disposal after about two months.

Additional deputy commissioner C.G. Rajnikanthan confirmed that estimates worth Rs 87 lakh were cleared in a single day on January 25. He said in view of the urgency of the matter an official of his office was sent to Sirsa to get the files cleared.

The MPs get Rs 2 crore per year under the MPLAD fund for the development activities in their respective constituencies.

Kurukshetra, January 27
Addressing the district-level ‘Backward Class Sammelan’ here on Friday evening, the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) supremo, Om Prakash Chautala, called upon the backward classes to maintain contact with people in order to change the system of capitalism prevailing in the country.

Chautala said the aim of the INLD was not to capture power, but to change the capitalist system. He claimed that the INLD was the strongest political party in Haryana because it had been organised at even ward and village levels.

Talking about giving representation to the Backward Classes in the Haryana Vidhan Sabha and Lok Sabha, Chautala alleged that in the past 60 years of the Congress regime, none of the backward class candidates had been given place in the Haryana Vidhan Sabha and Lok Sabha. However, the INLD would do its best to do so, he assured.

He further alleged that the Congress was protecting capitalists by creating SEZs and big bazaars.

Chautala promised that if the INLD came to power, old age pension would be enhanced to Rs 500 per month.

The INLD state president, Ashok Arora, MLA Ishwar Singh Plaka, discipline committee chairman, Sher Singh Badshami, women wing state president and former MP, Kailasho Saini, former Haryana agriculture minister, Jaswinder Singh Sandhu, backward class cell state president Teluram Jogi, backward class cell state general secretary Jeetarampal, district president Somdutt Panchal and district general secretary also addressed the sammelan.

Ambala, January 27
The newly appointed chairman of the Haryana Pollution Control Board, Dr A.S. Chahal, has said the board will launch a special campaign against the industrial units that have been violating the pollution norms.

Talking to the mediapersons here today, Dr Chahal said the board would conduct a survey of various industries to identify the units that are polluting the nearby areas. Replying to a question, he said he would never bow before any political pressure while taking action against erring units.

On corruption, he said he would not spare any official of the board if found guilty.

The chairman said some of the industrial units had been throwing their waste in the rivers like Markanda and Ghaggar. He said a long-term plan would be made to save these rivers from pollution. The board would also organise seminars to educate people about the threat of pollution, he added.

Fatehabad, January 27
Representatives of Scheduled Castes A category yesterday protested against the state government’s policies that kept them away from reservation at Ambedkar Chowk here.

District president of the Akhil Bharatiya Dalit Adhikar Manch Ram Swaroop Khanagwal alleged that the Congress had kept persons belonging to Scheduled Castes A category away from reservation since independence.

He said the reservation for A category within the reservation for the Scheduled Castes had ensured equitable distribution of benefits of reservation among all castes of Dalits but the Bhupinder Singh Hooda government had shifted to the old policy of common reservation.

He alleged that the state government had not only forced the Scheduled Castes A category leaders sitting on hunger strike at Rohtak to break their fasts but had also registered criminal cases against them.

Activists of the Scheduled Castes A category observed the Republic Day as black day, he claimed.

Kaithal, January 27
District and sessions Judge H. S. Bhangoo has said female foeticide could not be justified on any ground and if this tendency continued it would have serious repercussions on society. He was speaking as chief guest at a function organised by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) here last night. Many doctors, ADJ Subhash Goel and other judicial officers were also present on this occasion.

Bhangoo said desire among parents to have a male child at the cost of female child had resulted in to decline in the female population, which had given birth to many social problems. He said it was a matter of grave concern for all of us and steps should be taken to check this tendency. He said medical fraternity owned great social responsibility, hence, they should take initiative on this issue and reverse this trend.

Earlier, Dr Vinod Mittal, president of the IMA, here said doctors were conscious about their social responsibility and they would make sincere efforts to check female foeticide.

Rewari, January 27
A state-level kavi sammelan was held under the joint auspices of the college management and the district administration at Kishan Lal College here on Friday.

Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who presided over the function, said poets and writers during the pre-independence era had played a significant role in motivating people to join the freedom struggle.

He said the state government would set up a cultural centre at Kurukshetra for preservation and promotion of the rich cultural heritage of Haryana.

The CM also announced a grant of Rs 10 lakh for the construction of a multipurpose hall in the college.

Kurukshetra, January 27
The legal authority of the district organised a Lok Adalat in Mathana village, 15 km from here.

It was inaugurated by Sarita Gupta, additional district and sessions judge, Kurukshetra. As many as six courts were held in the makeshift tent courts on the schools premises where the litigants were called from 10 nearby villages to settle their disputes pending in different courts at the district headquarters.

In all, 16 cases were settled with the active support of the village sarpanches and also the legal advisers.
— PTI

Rewari, January 27
Lalita Yadav (32), wife of Umesh Yadav of Fatehpuri Daroli village, reportedly administered poison to her son Harsh (2) as well as her daughter Neha (4) after which she herself consumed poison at Shakti Nagar Colony here this morning.

While the woman and her son died on the spot, her daughter was admitted to the civil hospital here.

Sources said the woman took the extreme step in a state of mental discomposure when her husband was not at home.

With an inquest held under Section 174 of the CrPC, the Model Town police has treated it as a case of suicidal deaths.